Motherhood takes a lot out of a hen...

One of our bantam hens hatched out a clutch of chicks two weeks ago, our other two bantam hens hatched out their clutches a little more than a week ago. We just weighed them all, hens and chicks.

The hens have lost about 20 percent of their body weight. I'm sure they'll gain it back in the next weeks and months, but it certainly makes you realize what a taxing process incubating and raising chicks can be.

And it makes me appreciate even more their motherhood instincts. I have yet to see one of these hens keep any of the mealworms we offer for themselves. They always give it to their chicks.

I agree. Sometimes I feel bad for them, seeing how much they work to hatch out the eggs. We have a small Bantam Cochin hen hatching some eggs out right now and she's already very tiny and light-weighted, but it's unbelievable how light she is now!

I thought I was imagining that my broody seemed lighter as I take her off the nest. It makes sense because I can see that she's only making a small dent in the food bowl I have set beside her. Although she does get the water bowl 1/3 to half empty, so that's good!